accuracy drift over time,” he qualifies in layman’s terms. The unit is free of any rigid measurement set up and offers true portable and arm-free optical scanning in compact 1.38kg design. It’s also the fastest 3D scanner on the market being 12 times quicker than the previous generation and with the highest measurement rate among all laser scanners (480,000 measurements a second), and output occurs as a user completes acquisition. You can see why the team at Professional Cad Systems were so excited. The more Joseph explained, the more interested we got. “The unit requires no rigid setup and with the ability to scan any type of colour and material - even black - multi-coloured and shiny surfaces and automatic alignment is thanks to optical reflectors allows for repetitive inspections without re-alignment. It’s amazing,” he sums up. Not only that, Metrascan is easy to use with intuitive operation resulting in a short operator learning curve. “I won’t be surprised if in the near future that Creaform 3D scanners will be as commonly used as a caliper,” adds Joseph, hypothesising on the vast array of future uses. The MetraScan, along with the HandyProbe Next, was released worldwide in late April and Professional CAD Systems was one of the first distributors to receive the system, just in time for EMEX 2016. Core applications for 3D scanners such as the MetraScan 3D are in use with and HandyProbe Next: an inspection and reverse engineering package at its best. “Our goal is to bring inspection to the shop floor and make it as easily accessible as possible. In regards to reverse engineering, the ability to take real-world objects and transfer these objects into the computer is just astonishing and to be able to use the 3D scan data like 3D digital tracing paper reduces measuring times immensely,” explains Joseph. One example of how the HandyProbe can be used is for jig inspection. With the technology users can inspect the conformity of jigs and ensure that they are built to the specifications of the jig CAD model. “This dramatically improves the quality of the end product and brings peace of mind knowing when you place the part into the jig it conforms to the design’s tolerances. “Visitors to our stand had the first chance to see the MetraScan in real life, along with the HandyProbe Next” says Joseph. “Since having the MetraScan 3D in stock we are able to deliver even more accurate results for our customers. The whole idea behind the system is that it is accurate in any conditions. In the past, traditional measuring equipment was typically via an articulated arm. If there is disconnect between the Arm and the object caused by vibrations for example www.engineeringnews.co.nz 17 >>
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